Rev. Jesse Jackson: Segregating sororities at University of Alabama while supporting black athletes is 'hypocritical'

"This should not be cast onto a new generation of students." - The Rev. Jesse Jackson

The Rev. Jesse Jackson (right) said he hopes University of Alabama students continue to stand against racism, as allegations of discrimination among UA sororities has come to light. (The Birmingham News file photo)

BIRMINGHAM,
Alabama – The allegations of segregation and discrimination in the University
of Alabama's greek system are the highest form of hypocrisy, the Rev. Jesse
Jackson said.

"Alabama is
now No. 1 in the country and it is hypocritical to cheer the boys on on Saturday
afternoon and lock the sisters out of the sorority on Monday," Jackson said in
an interview Friday afternoon. "The school should come down hard on those
sororities."

Despite
progress over the years, the university's checkered history of discrimination remains
evident in racial disparities that exist on campus today, he said.

Jackson said
he draws hope from several young sorority members who stood up to protest
racism within their organizations and had the courage to speak out, despite
threats from alumnae and advisers.

"This should
not be cast onto a new generation of students," Jackson said. "The students
think they've done the right thing. That is the best tradition of free speech, and
we hope they will keep standing up."

The news of
these young, black women being excluded from UA sororities comes with the civil
rights struggles of 1963 at the forefront of the national consciousness, as the
anniversary of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing nears.

Jackson has eagerly
awaited his visit to Birmingham to take part in Empowerment Week and 50 Years
Forward events this weekend, including a commemoration of the four girls killed
in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing.

"This has been a year of commemorations of
everything in 1963, so you have painful memories," Jackson said. "These recalcitrant
forces are trying to turn the clock back and people with the will must resist
any attempt to do that."

The story of racial discrimination in UA's
sororities broke Wednesday, when UA's student
newspaper The Crimson White published a report that included sorority
members saying alumnae and advisers threatened them with pulled funding and intervened
in the pledging of a black rushee over current members' protests.

The University of Alabama on Thursday had
released a brief statement that did not reference segregation or race. UA
President Judy Bonner has not offered any new information or elaborated on what
action UA has taken to address the issue.

Several sororities implicated in CW article have
launched investigations into the allegations, according to reports in USA Today
and other publications.

"We won't allow
organizations to deny admission to individuals because of their race. We just
won't permit that. Saying that is important," England said. "Perhaps
it means a little bit more to me because it's my granddaughter. So I appreciate
the board making this statement. I particularly appreciate President Pro Tem
Bryant coming out affirmatively so that everybody gets the clear message that
we don't do that at the University of Alabama."